Your Strategy to Turn November 29 into the Most Successful Giving Tuesday Yet

Last year, online giving on Giving Tuesday grew a whopping 52%, according to Blackbaud data. As we’re gearing up for year five, it’s important that we reflect on the success we’ve had so far and understand the ways that we can continue to grow support and giving on the day.

#GivingTuesday is the perfect opportunity to ensnare more people into the web of social good, and infect them with a desire to drive positive change. But it doesn’t happen by magic. Success on #GivingTuesday happens because of careful planning and an understanding of what motivates your audience to give.

1.Get past the inbox.

Your average constituent gets several emails from various nonprofits on #GivingTuesday, so it’s important that your email stands out from the rest. Take advantage of pre-header information—the short summary text that follows the subject line when an email is viewed in an inbox. Make sure the majority of the text renders well on a mobile device and that it actually conveys something meaningful. When in doubt, keep it short.

3. Segment.

Almost half of your donors will stop donating if the content you’re delivering isn’t what they’re interested in. And that’s not just on #GivingTuesday, that’s year-round. So take the time to segment your lists, and make sure your message is meaningful. Recognize what makes the reader and their relationship different, give them thoughtful, relatable content, and end with a targeted CTA.

4. Advertise.

Did you know only 10% of your Facebook fans see your posts? It’s true that many social channels like Facebook are becoming pay to play, the benefit, especially for nonprofits, is that social advertising allows for scalability. The platforms are built so that pages can invest as much or as little as they want. If you’re generating the ROI that you need, you can easily scale it up. Try it out by creating a simple, eye-catching ad with a ‘donate now’ button.

5. Leverage social ambassadors.

Social media ambassadors are the new thing in peer-to-peer fundraising. It makes sense—people trust people they know. So, when active, well-known people on social media share your message and ask others to donate, the results can be huge. Make it easy for your social ambassadors to share your campaign message by giving them prewritten posts.

6. Mobile

Nonprofits that have mobile optimized donation forms have a 34% higher conversion rate than those that don’t. Think through the mobile giving experience you’re providing your supporters. Are you making it simple for someone to give?

7. Simplify the moment.

Don’t put people through the rigmarole just to donate. 65% of websites take more than two clicks to get to the donation form. Multiple steps to a donation page leads to abandonment, so remove the barriers and make it easy for someone to support your cause. Keep your donation form branded, personal, and distraction-free. Don’t ask for info that isn’t necessary. And make sure you have a recurring gift option available, too.

8. Say thank you now and later.

The day after #GivingTuesday, is #ThankYouWednesday. Send an email to your donors letting them know what was accomplished and how important their support is to achieving your mission. But don’t stop there. Circle back in a few months and show them the real impact the organization is making because of their generosity on #GivingTuesday.

9. Keep the conversation going.

What happens after the donation is extremely important. When someone receives an email from your organization immediately upon making a gift, they’re more likely to open and act. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to set the foundation for meaningful relationships with your donors. A welcome series is a simple and effective way to stay engaged.

10. Offer the option to sign up in advance to donate.

Your supporters are busy people, so leading up to #GivingTuesday, offer them the option to sign up in advance to have their credit card charged when the day arrives. This way, it’s one less thing they have to think about. And, if you’re able to match gifts that day, even better.